The Girl

 Draft - maybe creative writing?


I talked to the girl. The shy, unsure girl.
Something bothers her
Unable to give a name, didn't give me her age. 
She said she was from Denmark,
There was a hint of anger in her movement
The candle flickered, flickered and flickered but she could not blow it out she told me as the flame moved from side to side growing and shrinking, gaining light then still. Gently glowing again.
The room stayed quiet as she slowly answered my questions. Polite she was, did not try to escape, did not scare me. 
I ask of her name one last time. She moves. "Over".
Over I ask? Do you want us to leave? 
Yes. Yes Yes. Over. 
Goodbye.
Maybe I scared her. Maybe she scared me. 
She rushed off in a hurry, something bothering her, running off to wherever girls like her go.
I will try to find the girl from Denmark. Maybe she will find me.

Comparative essay between 'Schindler's' list and 'The Last Samurai'

What were the directors purposes in film techniques used in the movies 'Schindlers list' and 'The last Samurai'.

In the films 'The Last Samurai' directored by Edward Zwick and 'Schindlers list' by Steven Speilberg, both directors use similar techniques in order to portray different ideas. 'Schindlers list' is about a German man, Oscar Schindler, who saves 1100 Jews. 'The Last Samurai' is about a western mans journey to spiritual redemption when he is taken captive by the Samurai. Director Steven Speilberg uses symbolism with the red coated girl, colour use as the movie is black and white, harsh dialogue and the use of costumes, army uniforms, striped pajamas etc. In comparison director Edward Zwick uses the symbol of cherry blossoms, a traditional Japanese flower, colour use throughout the film, dialogue and the costumes relating to mood.

One technique that both Zwick and Speilberg use is the use of symbolism though the technique for different effects. Schindlers list has a young girl of about 8 years old. She is small and innocent and wears a red coat. This red coat is the only coloured object, other than the first scene, in the film and stands out to the view and to Schindler. When standing on a hilltop this young girl catches his attention. It is at this point where he fully realises the horror of what he sees and that he has had an input into this horror. Schindler sees the young girl as a symbol of innocence in the murdering of all the Jews. In amongst the violence this girl in the red coat does her own thing and goes to hide a wrecked house. The next time we see the girl is on a pile of dead bodies. This, to the viewer, feels like they are seeing an old friend, someone familiar, lying dead in the pile and contributes to the feeling of horror and shock at the killing of the innocent. The red coat that the young girl wears could also be interprated as a symbol of the red flag used to call for help when waved by the Jews to the allies during World War 11. As the child walks around inamongst the terror and violence seemingly uneffected by it all, doing her own thing in her own world this relates back to the way the little help the Jews got from the Allies for a very long time as the allies ignored the violence just as the little girl does. The director uses the little girl in the coat and the symbolism technique in order to highlight the horror and terror generated during WW11.

In comparison, Edward Zwick uses the cherry blossoms in 'The Last Samurai'. An example of when this technique is used is in the cherry blossom scene when Katsumoto says to Algren, “The perfect cherry blossom is a rare thing. You could spend your whole life looking for one and it would not be a wasted life” In the film, the cherry blossom symbolises perfection. This is relevent to the Samurai as the Samurai strive for perfection throughout their whole life. Too Katsumoto, there is meaning behing the cherry blossom and is saying that you could spend your whole life perfecting the ways of the samurai and it would not be a wasted life. Another example which further backs this up is at the end of the fight scene, Katsumotos death when he says, “Perfect. They..are all..perfect.” By saying this Katsumoto expresses that he has found his perfect cherry blossom, perfected the ways of the samurai and found perfection before his death therefore his life is was not wasted. The fact that Katsumoto is able to reflect on his life and think in deeper levels relates to the aspect of wisdom assosciated with bushido while the cherry blossom relates to the idea of rectitude (perfection and passion). Zwick uses the technique of symbolism using the cherry blossoms to highlight the idea of Bushido and the importance to the film. It teaches us of a main idea, perfection, connected to Bushido.

Another technique used in both films is the manipulation of colours. During Schindlers list, the whole film is in black in white except for the first scene of the film which is in colour. The first scene is joyful as it is a jewish ritual. The people are singing and there is a warm energy in the room due to the warm colours used within the scene. Towards the end of the scene the shabbatt candles are left burning until they get very low and eventually extinguish. As the candles extenguish the all the colour is wiped from the film. The colour of the first scene symbolises the previous hope of the Jewish population but when the candles are extenguished with the holocaust so is all the hope, joy and happiness that was previously there. The film then proceeds in black and white representing the fear and depression during the WW2 as black is a somber colour and white is a blank numb colour. The film is in black and white because in the time of the war there were no colour televisions and so this connects to when the movie was set. It is also in black and white because it makes the film seem more of a documentry. As a documentry is factual it sets more deeply into the viewers mind that what they are seeing were actual events are factual and did happen. The directors purpose in manipulating the colour during the film was to deepen the emotion running through to the viewer and to intensify the shock of the holocaust.

The use of colour is also used throughout the film of 'The Last Samurai'. An example of when this technique is used is during the withdrawal sequence. After Algren has been taken by the Samurai, he is in shock of what he has just witnessed and where he is. Algren is taken to a housewife named Taka to be taken care of. Although Taka resents Algren for the murder of her husband she is obliged to see that he is looked after and goes about doing so. In the room where Taka dresses his wounds and looks after him, there is light. The room is full of deep shades of browns and reds creating a warm atmosphere. Dark browns and reds are homely and warm colours creating the sense of a sanctuary. Somewhere calm and safe. Somewhere homely as Taka is making Algren feel at home yet as soon as taka leaves the room, darkness is cast in the room along with cool shades of blue and black. It is when these colours are present that Algren goes through his toughest time coping with what he has been through. It is where he yells and screams at night for alchahol. As the door opens each day with food, the shades in the room turn to the warm shades of brown again as seeing the family in the dining room and receiving care from taka is a comfort. The director, Edward Zwick, uses these changes in colours to represent the emotions present in Algren as he copes with his past and shows the audience the role Taka and the family play in helping him to see light.

A third technique that is used in both 'Schindler's list' and 'The Last Samurai' is dialogue. During Schindlers list the Jews are given a deadline to move into the ghetto. On this day all of the Jews in the city cross walk across the bridge and down the street into the ghetto. The street is chaos but above all the noise a young girl of about 11 is shouting “Good-bye Jews! Good-bye Jews!” over and over again in the same slow, harsh monotone. This young girl shouts at the people walking down the street as if they are not human, and are some sort of parasite or other race. This shows how intense the Nazi party was in getting everyone involved. They had the Hitler Jugend (Hitler youth), anti-jewish colouring books and even toys to ensure that people of all ages were influenced by the Nazi party beliefs. As one family enters their new area in the ghetto that could hardly be called a house, the voice follows them as the girl is just outside on the street and it also echoes through the rooms. They are in their new home, a home should be a sanctuary and a private place and their space is still being invaded by the outside world, wherever they go the cannot escape what is going on around them. The director uses this young girl with the dialogue to give the audience the feeling of invasion and lack of privacy and further intensifies the negative impact of the holocaust.

During 'The Last Samurai', dialogue is also used frequently. An example of when this is used, or rather, not used, is when the young son of Taka and Algren are sitting in the rain together.